The last five years have been challenging, volatile, disheartening, illuminating. I suspect few of us have emerged unscathed or otherwise unchanged. I used to be more centrist. I used to believe in bipartisanship as a realistic path forward. I used to talk about common-sense solutions with the optimism that this could resonate with people from a variety of political persuasions. I used to be more hesitant to say exactly what I think.
I am still optimistic—it’s my nature—but I have become less optimistic that tomorrow will be better than today. I also have become increasingly aware that the worst among us don’t care about sustaining the American democratic project. I see more clearly how virulent a strain of racism courses through American society, but also am more encouraged by how many decent people believe in equality. I am more outraged on a daily basis, but also more purposeful, urgent and realistic.
I also am more engaged with our democracy and more sure that its survival depends on not taking it for granted. So, too, I am more impatient to make a better America and more committed to motivating others to think hard and seek solutions to confront the realities of societal dysfunction and planetary crisis. I feel a greater need to hug my children and do what I can to spread kindness. Thankfully, I’m not more hard-hearted. I still believe empathy is crucial.
So how about you? How have you changed in these last five years? I hope you’ll include some ways you’ve changed for the better along with the inevitable scars. As always, I look forward to hearing what’s on your mind—and the opportunity for this community to learn from each other.
How Have You Changed?
The last five years have been challenging, volatile, disheartening, illuminating. I suspect few of us have emerged unscathed or otherwise unchanged. I used to be more centrist. I used to believe in bipartisanship as a realistic path forward. I used to talk about common-sense solutions with the optimism that this could resonate with people from a variety of political persuasions. I used to be more hesitant to say exactly what I think.
I am still optimistic—it’s my nature—but I have become less optimistic that tomorrow will be better than today. I also have become increasingly aware that the worst among us don’t care about sustaining the American democratic project. I see more clearly how virulent a strain of racism courses through American society, but also am more encouraged by how many decent people believe in equality. I am more outraged on a daily basis, but also more purposeful, urgent and realistic.
I also am more engaged with our democracy and more sure that its survival depends on not taking it for granted. So, too, I am more impatient to make a better America and more committed to motivating others to think hard and seek solutions to confront the realities of societal dysfunction and planetary crisis. I feel a greater need to hug my children and do what I can to spread kindness. Thankfully, I’m not more hard-hearted. I still believe empathy is crucial.
So how about you? How have you changed in these last five years? I hope you’ll include some ways you’ve changed for the better along with the inevitable scars. As always, I look forward to hearing what’s on your mind—and the opportunity for this community to learn from each other.
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Photo Credit: Charles Ommanney/The Washington Post via Getty Images, 2016.
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